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SOIL SURVEY OF TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS. 899
being near the first bottoms where the areas have been dissected by
drainage from the uplands, and the more level land being nearer the
uplands. The drainage varies from good on the more nearly level
areas to excessive in the areas of rolling topography. The soil is
not especially retentive of moisture.
In its virgin condition this type supported a forest growth consistIng
mainly of post oak and blackjack oak. It is estimated that less
than half of the type is under cultivation, the rest being used for
Pasture. Cotton, corn, and peanuts are the leading crops. Sweet
potatoes are one of the minor crops.
Cotton yields one-fourth to one-half bale per acre in normal
seasons; corn yields 20 to 35 bushels, and peanuts yield 35 to 60
bushels per acre. The yields on this type could be increased by the
addition of organic manures and the growing of cowpeas and peanuts
to increase the nitrogen content.
LEAF CLAY LOAM.
The surface soil of the Leaf clay loam consists of 6 to 8 inches
of light-brown to brown clay loam to sandy clay loam. In the
better drained areas this passes into a subsoil consisting of red to
dark-red stiff clay, mottled locally with yellow or gray or both.
This in turn grades at about 20 inches into yellowish-brown, brown,
or olive-brown, stiff, heavy clay, which is rarely calcareous. In
the less well drained areas the subsoil consists of a yellowishbrown
or olive-brown, heavy, stiff clay, which may be mottled in
the upper part with gray or red. The type as mapped is more or
less variable, the soil in places having a grayish color. In some
small areas a layer of 2 or 3 inches of grayish-brown fine sandy
loam overlies the typical subsoil. Cultivated fields present a spotted
appearance.
The chief occurrence of the Leaf clay loam is in the vicinity of
Wheatland and Everman, where it occupies several good-sized areas
on the terraces of Village Creek. The materials in these terraces
have come from the uplands of the East Cross Timbers and the
Grand Prairie. The surface is mainly nearly level. The drainage
varies from fair to good, being retarded in places by lack of slope
and the heavy subsoil, and should be improved by ditching and
tiling.
The greater part of the type is under cultivation, cotton and corn
being the chief crops, with some wheat and oats Cotton yields from
one-fourth to one-half bale per acre, depending on seasonal conditions;
corn yields 25 to 40 bushels; wheat, 10 to 18 bushels; and oats,
from 20 to 40 bushels per acre.
The soil puddles if plowed when wet, and on drying bakes into
intractable clods. The incorporation of organic manures would
modify this tendency as well as increase the productiveness of the
soil.
Land of this type is valued at $75 to $120 an acre, depending on
state of improvement and location with respect to markets.
TRINITY CLAY.
The Trinity clay consists of a black calcareous clay which extends
to depths of about 15 to 36 inches or more. Lime concretions occur